1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the handling of containers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Certain types of sealed containers require specialized implements to access the contents of the containers. For example, many wine bottles are sealed with corks which cannot simply be removed with the fingers and different implements for cork removal have been developed.
The oldest and most common implement for the removal of corks is the corkscrew which comes in various designs. Although corkscrews work well for those who use them on a regular basis, corkscrews present problems for the occasional user. Occasional users tend to misalign corkscrews thereby making it difficult to insert the corkscrews in corks. A misaligned corkscrew can also damage a cork in such a way that the cork can no longer be removed with the corkscrew.
A more recent device for the removal of corks consists of a small hand pump having a piston which rides in a cylinder. An opening in the side of the cylinder can receive a needle-like element resembling those used for the inflation of balls. The needle-like element has a passage which runs the length of the needle-like element and is open at either end of the needle-like element. When the needle-like element is attached to the hand pump cylinder and the hand pump is operated, the piston forces air through the needle-like element during the downstroke of the piston.
Assuming that a cork is to be removed from a wine bottle, the needle-like element is manually forced through the cork so that the end of the needle-like element remote from the cylinder is located inside the bottle. The hand pump is then operated to pressurize the interior of the bottle to such a degree that the cork is expelled from the bottle.
The hand pump comes with stoppers which can be used to cap the bottle if the contents of the bottle are not consumed completely and it is desired to retain the remainder of the contents for future consumption. Each of the stoppers has a pair of channels, and each channel contains a check valve which, when the stopper is in place, allows air to flow out of the bottle but not into the bottle.
The end of the hand pump cylinder has two openings which can be aligned with the channels in the stoppers. After the partially emptied bottle has been capped with one of the stoppers, the openings in the end of the cylinder are placed in register with the channels in the stopper. The hand pump is thereafter operated, and air is evacuated from the bottle during each upstroke of the piston. The resulting vacuum in the bottle inhibits oxidation of the remaining contents of the bottle so that freshness and flavor are preserved for some period of time.
When the needle-like element is attached to the hand pump, the needle-like element projects from the hand pump and can impact objects as well as people. Moreover, since insertion of the needle-like element into a cork to be removed is performed manually, a great deal of effort is required. Care must also be taken not to force the cork into the bottle during insertion of the needle-like element into the cork.
Also known is a battery-operated pump for evacuating a wine bottle via a stopper equipped with a check valve. Unlike the hand pump described above, the battery-operated pump is not designed to remove corks from bottles.